Washing-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

A. GRBENER.

WASHING MACHINE.

No. 248,450. Patented Oct'. 18,1881..

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.. A. GREENER.

(No Idel.)

WASING MACHINE.

Patented ont. 18,1881.

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IINTTED STATES PATENT OEETCE.,

ANDREV GREENER, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

WASHING-MACHINE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,450, dated October 18, 1881.

Application filed March 2, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, ANDREW GREENER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oolumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improve ments in IVashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in washing-machines operated by a rocking motion of the tank; and the objects of my improvements are to provide for a more effective cleansing of the clothes as they are carried with the water back and forth in 'the tank; to provide for a rubbing action upon the clothes in such movements; to afford facilities for heating the water in a rocking tank and during the operation of washing; and to provide means by which the tank is maintained in position and rocked from the same point on the bed, whereby increased force and veloci ty are given to the clothes. The tank is provided with an elevated corrugated or ribbed surface arranged on the bottom and in the middle of its length, and it is preferably perforated, so that while serving as a rubbing-board it also serves to project the water out from beneath it in streams upon the clothes by the motion of the tank, and thus aid in cleaning the clothes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents my improved washing-niachine in elevation; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 3, a cross-section of the same,`

taken through the movable pivots of the tank; and Fig. 4, a partial sectional view of the tank, showing more clearly the central raised, arched, corrugated, and perforated rubbing-surface and its hinged flaps.

In the drawings I have shown two washingtanks carried by the same rockers; but one only may bel used, or more than two may be used, if desired. I may also dispense with the furnace, and prefer to do so in machines constructed for family use; but forlaundries,\vhere washing is constantly done, the furnace is preferable. The washing-tank is mounted upon rockers a a, connected with each end of the tank, and operating' upon a suitable bed-frame. The tank I prefer to make from fifteen to eighteen inches deep, having a width of one foot and a length of five feet, and of any suitable material. The bottom, for about two feet and a half of its length, is straight, or nearly so,terminat- (No model.)

Centrally upon the bottom ofthe tankis sei cured a raised perforated rubbing-surface, c, of curved or angular form, leaving a space,f, beneath it for the vflow of the water, and having its top surface corrugated or ribbed. It

may be of sheet metal, and in the rocking ot" the tank the clothes arethrown upon this ribbed surface, and in passing over it they are more or less rubbed, while the pitching of the tank causes the water to be projected in streams from the perforations in said surface upon the clothes, and thus greatly assist in cleansing them. the raised curved ends of the cover is such that `the clothes will be carried up into the spaces of the cover and pitched over directly uponl said surface and carried overit back and forth by the rocking action of the tank. The perforations must be of a size to allow the water to pass freely from the ribbed surface as the clothes are washed over it; and in addition I may provide the opposite ends of this rubbingsurface with hinged flaps g, so as to open and close alternately and let the water flow out from vthe spacef upon the clothes in the direction they are moving over the rubbing-surface, thus producing a very effective cleauin g action merely froml the force with which the clothes are carried from one end of the tank to the other with the water. The full effect of the raised rubbing-surface is obtained by the dashing ofthe clothes upon it from each end of the The relation of this rubbing-surface to tank, and in their being swept back and forth over it. It may be of stepped or inclined form; but I prefer the semicircular form shown.

In this style of rocking washer I nd it necessary, to obtain the best results, that the tank should be held upon the bed at the point from which itis rocked, and for this purpose I provide the rockers with grooved rolls 7L, which, in connection with open fixed guidesi,risin g from the IOO bed serve as movable pivots to the rockers. The grooved rolls are mounted upon the ends ot' a cross-bar of the rockers, or in any suitable way, and they rock within the guides, rising and falling on the opposite sides thereof with the movements of the rockers, and thus form rocking pivots, holding the rockers at one point upon the bed, whether the latter be curved or straight. This, while giving the ad vantage of holding the rockers in one place upon the bed, serves to give greater force and velocity in the water and clothes, and to dash them more violently about than could be obtained from a vibrating movement from points of suspension or from a rocking action in which the rockers travel over and upon a curved bed without centrally-confining points. The guides are of V shape to give rocking freedom to the rolls, and the latter by their deep grooves serve to hold the rockers from lateral displacement. rIhese movable rocker-pivots also render it much easier to operate the machine.

In using the furnace A. it is attached to and depends from the under side ot' the tank and immediately under the rubbingsurface, and the top plate, j, of the furnace forms a part of the bottom of the tank and serves to heat the water therein. The bottom of the tank,when made of wood, does not join the top plate of the furnace, but is cut away, and the tui-nace is secured to a separate plate, k, to which the rubbing-surface may also be secured with water-tight joints.

The furnace is placed crosswise the bottom of the tank or tanks, and may be ot' any suitable form and construction suited for a rocking motion with the tank, thus giving the advantage of heating the water in a rockerwasher. The furnace carries a sinoke-pipe, l,

at one end, and its top plate may be corrugated.

In using more than one tank the clothes may be changed from one to the other and into clean water.

As the tank-rockers operate from the rolls h, the upwardly-inclined sides b b and the centrally-depressed top are caused to direct with considerable force the clothes upon the arched rubbing-surface e at every rocking throw of the water in the tank, and thereby effect a more eicient rubbing action of the clothes over the rubbing'surface, so that the functions of these parts cooperate to facilitate the washing.

I claim- 1. The washing-machine herein described,

consisting of a rocking tank having a tat botu tom provided with a central raised, arched, corrugated, or ribbed surface, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

2. In a washing-machine, the rocking tank having a tlat bottom provided with a central raised, arched surface, e, which is both corrugated and perforated, and forms an inclosed bottom space, j', substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

3. A rocking-tank washing-machine constructed substantially as described, and hav ing a centrally-arranged raised rubbing and perforated bottom surface provided with opposite end-hinged aps, substantially as described, tor the purpose specified.

4. In a washingmachine having a tank mounted upon rockers a, provided with the centrally-arranged rocking rolls h h, the said tankhavingcentrally-arranged,raised,arched, corrugated, and perforated surface e, forming theinclosed spacef,theupwardly-inclinedends b b, and a centrally-depressed top, all constructed substantially as described, tor the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW GREEN ER.

Witnesses:

DE WITT G. JONES, S. HAMBLE'roN. 

